


The Sad Things

by Sorrowcult



Category: Camp Camp
Genre: dadvid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 02:31:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14227167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorrowcult/pseuds/Sorrowcult
Summary: David was too late and he hates to admit it to himself.





	The Sad Things

In hindsight, David should have saw it coming. He just didn't expect it to happen on his watch.   
  
He noticed that Max was getting smaller, as if he wasn't already small enough. He did as much as he could, at least that's what Gwen had been telling him for about a week.

A week since..

He couldn't even think about it with overwhelming sick and pain filling him, but when he closed his eyes the very scene of finding Max would flash through his mind and that hurt even more.   
•  
•  
•  
The day had been sunny, had been warmer than usual. An all around start to a good day. David hadn't slept the night before, too focused on trying to find a way to sue Max’s parents. He knew it would be hard, he didn't have much proof of Max being neglected or abused but he couldn't ignore the signs.

He had to do his best, and it stressed him out but by the end of it, he'd be relieved. Max would be safe, mostly because he'd be under David’s watch if he could bend some wires. He woke up the campers but he went cold when he couldn't find Max.

“Neil, have you seen Max?” The teen looked up and shook his head, saying that he had went to the shed for something. David cringed at that. Max and the shed was a bad combo, mostly because he usually found weapons to attack David with.

He nodded and would have ruffled the other’s hair but the glare the boy was eyeing him with said that was a darn bad idea.

“Max!” He called out in a sing song voice, smiling a bit. He didn't hear movement in the shed and that wasn't worrying, not really, at least that's what David told himself. Something just didn't feel right, something about it all just threw him off.

“Max..” He called out, a little louder. He threw open the shed door and his breath caught in his throat, his eyes went wide.

He breath returned as a heart wrenching scream tore from his throat. He was quick, pulling Max down, the rope, oh god the rope was _bloody_ and his hands were shaking so hard and he was moving as fast as he could and Max was _cold_.

He pulled him into his chest because maybe if he got him warm, he'd be okay.

His scream had attracted attention, and he knew he was probably still screaming because his throat was hurting when he heard Gwen complaining about him hurting himself so early in the morning.

She stopped when she saw it.

David was holding a familiar small body close to his chest, so close that it looked painful. He was shaking and crying, repeating Max’s name like it would wake him. The kids were coming, following like ducks when Gwen whipped towards them.

“Go back to the Dining Hall.”

“What about Dav-”

“Now!”

David looked at her and he spoke so softly, she almost didn't hear. “Call Sal..”

By the time the police and ambulance had arrived, David had been holding him so long he had started to grow warm where David was touching him. The ambulance tried to get David to let the boy go, he was dead but they couldn't, every attempt making him hold him closer.

“Have you called his parents, David? They'd want to kn-”

“His parents don't fucking care.”

The shock showed in the sheriff’s eyes but he nodded in a manner that said he was worried. The ambulance eventually got Max from David and the police took his statement.

A suicide, another death of someone David cared about. He cared about a lot of people, but one of the few he could say he would never forget if asked to list them.

The day was solemn after that and David knew he couldn't lie to the kids. He gathered them in the Dining Hall.

“Is Max coming back soon?” Space Kid asked, looking up at David with such a child-like innocence he wish he still had. The question hurt him, it hurt him badly because Max wasn't coming back, he was never gonna be back again.

He burst into tears at the thought and Gwen had to take over from there.

She sat on one of the tables.

“Okay, guys.. I.. Don't know how to prepare kids for something like this, hell, your parents should be explaining this all to you but.. We can't ignore this. Max was very.. Sad and angry. You all knew that but it worse than most of us thought. Max.. Was undiagnosed but I do know the signs of depression and I'd say Max’s was pretty severe. I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. Max was depressed and he couldn't go on, at least in his mind. It seems harsh but Max felt that he was alone.

He wasn't alone, you guys know that but there's no telling how long Max has felt that way. He's dead and.. You can't reverse death. Suicide is a very touchy subject, but I want all of you to know that if any of you ever feel suicidal, come to us immediately.”

David was quiet the entire time, he held Max’s teddy bear in his hands. He hugged it to his chest, very gentle with it.

All the parents were soon called and all the children went home for the summer. They couldn't contact Mr. Campbell at all.   
•  
•  
•

David paid for the funeral, he had the money. He wanted to spend his money on Max, spoil him rotten but not like this. Never like this. The only time David met Max’s parents it was when they identified the body and they looked as if they'd been expecting it.

He punched Max’s father and broke his nose.

They didn't show at the funeral.

He had a box of Max’s clothes, from the morgue. The blood had been washed out but what hurt him was seeing the old, faded lines of blood on the insides of the sleeves. He hadn't slept since that day, when he found Max, because a few minutes every night isn't sleep.

He pressed Mr. Honey Nuts into the casket because he couldn't keep something that made Max happy, even in death.

The funeral ended and everyone came to the precession.

A lot of the parents thought Max was his son and it was painful to David, because Max was almost his son.

Almost.

•  
•  
•  
A year has passed, and at the camp the shed had been turned to a shrine of sorts, full of teddy bears and notes and little things. Sometimes the kids could be found leaning against it, talking quietly.

Talking to Max.

David could feel him sometimes, like the times he could feel Jasper. It made his eyes fill with tears.

On this day in particular, David heard they'd be getting a new camper. It brought a smile to his face. Gwen was waiting with him as he talked excitedly. She smiled as she watched him, happy. He wasn't happy a lot, not really.

When the bus pulled up, David ignored the weird feeling in his chest.

He ignored it.

The camper they got was older than the rest of the campers, he was 16. The Quartermaster looked at David worriedly before letting the boy off. He soon found out why.

He had an undercut but his hair was unmanaged curls, dark tan skin and the most striking green eyes he'd ever seen.

Next to Max’s.

David pushed the pain away and smiled brightly.

“Welcome to Camp Campbell, you must be Xzavier! I'm David and this is my co-counsellor Gwen!” The boy was wearing a black hoodie, the sleeves too long with how hot it was outside. A bag was slung over one shoulder and he had a brooding look on his face. He gave them both a nod of greeting.

David wanted to cry. Too much like Max, that boy was.

The other kids seemed to think so too.

Neil was sitting with Nikki, 15 now as he eyed Xzavier while David introduced him. “He looks like Max, doesn't he?” Preston squinted at the other and nodded.

“Yeah.. He does..”

All the kids did their best to be cordial, allowing him into every group. Space Kid stared at him in awe.

“Max?”

Xzavier made a face. “Who the Hell’s Max?” Neil nearly decked Space Kid, but his helmet kept him from doing so, though it was no problem for Nurf.

“A friend.” Neil answered shortly.

“Well can I meet him?”

“We can show him the memorial!” Space Kid interjected and Xzavier fell quiet. He didn't need anymore explanation.

That night after taking a shower, David was met with quite the sight. He knew an apparition when he seen one, he'd seen Jasper plenty of times.

Max sat on David’s bed, dressed how he was when David had found him. He looked at him blankly.

“I'll cut to the chase since I can't do this corporeal shit, but you couldn't save me maybe you can save Xzavier. His shit is heavy but I know you. I saw the papers.”

David swallowed slowly and nodded.

Max stared at him for a bit before disappearing for a moment. He reappeared but he was wavering.

“I'll see you soon.”

“Okay.. Max..”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on tumblr: @of-danvid-and-stars and yell about Dadvid with me


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